Surface structure for combining block of block toy having magnet inside

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a surface structure, on which protuberances and slots are configured so that the protuberances interlock organically with the slots to secure stable combination between the blocks of a block toy when the blocks are stacked up, combined laterally or combined at right angles to each other.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a surface structure for combiningblocks, with a magnet internally embedded, of a block toy and, morespecifically, to a surface structure, on which protuberances and slotsare configured so that the protuberances interlock organically with theslots to secure stable combination between the blocks of a block toywhen the blocks are stacked up, combined laterally or combined at rightangles to each other.

BACKGROUND ART

A block toy comprises a plurality of and a set of small blocks that aretypically plastic so that the blocks are to be assembled to construct asolid shape.

Self-assembly toys, as a kind of block toys, have been marketed forwhich it is required to interlock the protuberances and slots configuredin each block to complete the toy. As for such an self-assembly toy, itis, however, also required to forcefully plug each protuberance intoeach slot corresponding to the protuberance in each block and, evenafter the assembly is completed, it is not very easy to disassemble theblocks to construct another solid shape.

Block toys have also been marketed comprising blocks with magnetsembedded inside so that the blocks are easily combined by means ofmagnetism when brought proximately to each other. As for such a blocktoy with magnets, although it is convenient to combine blocks with eachother by means of magnetism and also convenient to disassemble after theassembly is completed, the form may be broken down with a rather slightimpact because, in most cases, the edges of the blocks are rounded and,correspondingly, the binding between the blocks is not firm.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

The present invention is to provide a surface structure, on whichprotuberances and slots are configured so that the protuberancesinterlock organically with the slots to secure stable combinationbetween the blocks of a block toy when the blocks are stacked up,combined laterally or combined at right angles to each other.

Technical Solution

The present invention provides a surface structure for combining blocks,with a magnet internally embedded, of a block toy on a block 1 thatcomprises a top frame 11 and a bottom frame 12 that are combined byfitting protuberances 13 and fitting slots 14 resulting in a quadratepanel with a hollow at the center, wherein a magnet holder 15 isprepared at the internal center of each of the four sides of the topframe 11 and the bottom frame 12 to hold a cylindrical magnet 16, thatlies parallel to the side, in the internal space of the magnet holder 15so that the magnet 16 may rotate; on the external surface of the topframe 11 and the external surface of the bottom frame 12, between thefitting protuberance 13 and the fitting slot 14 with a predetermineddistance, with the center of each side as the center, a plurality ofleft horizontal protuberances 21 are spread to the left while righthorizontal protuberance(s) 21-1 are spread to the right, the number ofwhich is one less than the number of the left horizontal protuberances21, parallel to and along the side with a certain distance from the edgeof the side; a top slope 22 is configured along the edge of the topframe 11 and, from the top slope 22, a top cliff 23 extends downwardwhile a bottom slope 24 is configured along the bottom frame 12, andfrom the bottom slope 24, a bottom cliff 25 extends upward; on the topslope 22, with the center of each side as the center with apredetermined distance from the center, a plurality of grooves 26 arespread to the left and tongues 27 as many as the grooves are spread tothe right while, on the bottom slope 24, with the center of each side asthe center with a predetermined distance from the center, tongues 27 asmany as the grooves 26 on the top slope 22 are spread to the left andgrooves 26 as many as the tongues 27 on the top slope 22 are spread tothe right; and in the top cliff 23, with the center of each side as thecenter with a predetermined distance from the center, a furrow 28 isgrooved on the left and an insert 29 protrudes on the right while, inthe bottom cliff 25, with the center of each side as the center with apredetermined distance from the center, an insert 29 protrudes on theleft and a furrow 28 is grooved on the right.

Meanwhile, the block 1, for which the top frame 11 and the bottom frame12 are combined, has a length or width ranging from 60 to 70 mm and athickness ranging from 6 to 9 mm while the horizontal protuberances 21,21-1 have a height ranging from 0.25 to 0.35 mm.

In addition, the grooves 26 and the tongues 27 have a depth and aheight, respectively, ranging from 0.25 to 0.35 mm while the furrow 28and the insert 29 have a depth and a height, respectively, ranging from0.4 to 0.6 mm.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The present invention provides a surface structure for combining blocks,with a magnet internally embedded, of a block toy on which protuberancesand slots are configured so that the protuberances interlock organicallywith the slots to secure stable combination between the blocks of ablock toy when the blocks are stacked up, combined laterally or combinedat right angles to each other.

In addition, the surface structure according to the present inventionprovides a solid form as an assembly of the blocks of a block toy withstructural stability so that the form resists an impact to a certainextent.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a block, with a magnet internallyembedded, of an existing block toy.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a block the present invention provides.

FIG. 3 is a disassembled perspective view of a block the presentinvention provides.

FIG. 4 illustrates a status of blocks stacked up according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates a status of blocks that are to be combined laterallyaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of blocks combined laterally accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a status of blocks that are to be combined at rightangles according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of blocks combined at right anglesaccording to the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

Embodiment, Comparative Example and Experimental Example of the presentinvention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanyingdrawings.

Embodiment

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a block 1, with a magnet internallyembedded, of the present invention comprises a top frame 11 and a bottomframe 12 that are combined by fitting protuberances 13 and fitting slots14 resulting in a quadrate panel with a hollow at the center, wherein amagnet holder 15 is prepared at the internal center of each of the foursides of the top frame 11 and the bottom frame 12 to hold a cylindricalmagnet 16, that lies parallel to the side, in the internal space of themagnet holder 15 so that the magnet 16 may rotate. The block 1, with alength or width ranging from 60 to 70 mm and a thickness ranging from 6to 9 mm, comprising the top frame 11 and the bottom frame 12, may berequired to assume the shape of a quadrate panel with a hollow at thecenter because, if the length or width is less than 65 mm and thethickness is less than 6 mm the block becomes excessively small as ablock for a block toy, whereas if the length or width is more than 70 mmand the thickness is more than 9 mm the block becomes excessively largeas a block for a block toy. A block 1 comprising the top frame 11 andthe bottom frame 12 as provided by Embodiment of the present inventionhas a length or width of 65 mm and a thickness of 7 mm, and assumes theshape of a quadrate with a hollow at the center while each or the foursides of the block has a width of 11 mm. On the external surface of thetop frame 11 and the external surface of the bottom frame 12, horizontalprotuberances 21, 21-1 are arrayed parallel to and along the side with acertain distance from the edge of the side. The horizontal protuberances21, 21-1 may be required to have a height ranging from 0.25 to 0.35 mmbecause, if the horizontal protuberances 21, 21-1 have a height that isless than 0.25 mm, engaging becomes too weak to retain the combinationbetween the horizontal protuberances of the top frame 11 and the bottomframe 12 whereas, if the horizontal protuberances 21, 21-1 have a heightthat is more than 0.35 mm, such a protrusion causes inconvenience touse. In this Embodiment, the horizontal protuberances 21, 21-1 have aheight of 0.3 mm, and, on the external surface of the top frame 11, withthe center of each side as the center, with a predetermined distance inbetween , three columns of the horizontal protuberances 21 are spread tothe left and two columns of the horizontal protuberances 21-1 are spreadto the right while, on the external surface of the bottom frame 12, withthe center of each side as the center, with a predetermined distance inbetween, two columns of the horizontal protuberances 21-1 are spread tothe left and three columns of the horizontal protuberances are spread tothe right 21.

A top slope 22 is configured along the edge of the top frame 11 and,from the top slope 22, a top cliff 23 extends downward while a bottomslope 24 is configured along the bottom frame 12, and from the bottomslope 24, a bottom cliff 25 extends upward.

On the top slope 22, with the center of each side as the center, with apredetermined distance in between, three steps of grooves 26 are spreadto the left and three steps of tongues 27 are spread to the right while,on the bottom slope 24, with the center of each side as the center, witha predetermined distance in between, three steps of tongues 27 arespread to the left and three steps of grooves 26 are spread to theright. It may be required for the grooves 26 and the tongues 27 to havea depth and a height, respectively, ranging from 0.25 to 0.35 mm becauseif the depth and the height, respectively, are less than 0.25 mm,engaging becomes too weak to retain the combination between, forexample, the tongues 27 of the top slope 22 and the grooves 26 of thebottom slope 24 whereas, if the depth and the height, respectively, aremore than 0.35 mm, such a protrusion causes inconvenience to use. Inthis Embodiment, the depth of each of the grooves 26 and the height ofeach of the tongues 27 is 0.3 mm.

In the top cliff 23, with the center of each side as the center with apredetermined distance from the center, a furrow 28 is grooved on theleft and an insert 29 protrudes on the right while, in the bottom cliff25, with the center of each side as the center with a predetermineddistance from the center, an insert 29 protrudes on the left and afurrow 28 is grooved on the right. It may be required for the furrow 28and the insert 29 to have a height ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 mm becausethe height of the furrow 28 and the insert 29 is less than 0.4 mm,engaging becomes too weak to retain the combination between, forexample, the furrow 20 of the top cliff 23 and the insert 29 of thebottom cliff 25 whereas, if the height of the furrow 28 and the insert29 is more than 0.6 mm, such a protrusion causes inconvenience to use.In this Embodiment, the furrow 28 and the insert 29 have a height of 0.5mm.

Such a configuration is identically applied to all the four sides andedges of the block 1, which assumes the shape of a quadrate panel, ofthe present invention.

As for combination modes, the blocks 1 according to the presentinvention may be stacked up, combined laterally, or combined at rightangles to each other.

FIG. 4 illustrates a status of blocks stacked up according to thepresent invention and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along theline A-A of FIG. 4. On the external surface of the bottom frame of eachof the four sides of an upper block 2, with the center of each side asthe center, with a predetermined distance in between, two columns of thehorizontal protuberances 21-1 are spread to the left and three columnsof the horizontal protuberances 21 are spread to the right while, on theexternal surface of the top frame of each of the four sides of a lowerblock 3, with the center of each side as the center, with apredetermined distance in between, three columns of the horizontalprotuberances 21 are spread to the left and two columns of thehorizontal protuberances 21-1 are spread to the right.

If the upper block 2 and the lower block 3 are stacked up, thehorizontal protuberances 21, 21-1 of the upper block 2 interlock withthe horizontal protuberances 21, 21-1 of the lower block 3. In otherwords, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the two horizontalprotuberances 21-1 that are spread to the left of the upper block 2interlock with the three horizontal protuberances 21 that are spread tothe left of the lower block 3 so that the two blocks 2, 3 thus stackedup maintain stable vertical binding even if one applies lateral forceonto each block in the opposite direction to each other.

FIG. 6 illustrates a status of blocks that are to be combined laterallyaccording to the present invention and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional viewof blocks combined laterally according to the present invention. On thetop cliff 23 in the posterior edge 4-1 of an anterior block 4, with thecenter of the side as the center, with a predetermined distance inbetween, an insert 29 protrudes on the left and a furrow 29 is groovedon the right while, on the bottom cliff, with the center of the side asthe center, with a predetermined distance in between, an insert 28protrudes on the left and a furrow 29 is groove on the right. On the topcliff 23 in the anterior edge 5-1 of a posterior block 5, with thecenter of the side as the center, with a predetermined distance inbetween, an insert 29 protrudes on the left and a furrow 29 is groovedon the right while, on the bottom cliff, with the center of the side asthe center, with a predetermined distance in between, an insert 28protrudes on the left and a furrow 29 is groove on the right.

If the anterior block 4 and the posterior block 5 are combinedlaterally, the insert 28 and the furrow 29 of the posterior edge 4-1 ofthe anterior block 4 and the anterior edge 5-1 of the posterior block 5,respectively, interlock with each other so that the two blocks 4, 5 thuscombined laterally maintain stable lateral binding even if one appliesvertical force onto each block in the opposite direction to each other

FIG. 8 illustrates a status of blocks that are to be combined at rightangles according to the present invention and FIG. 9 is across-sectional view of blocks combined at right angles according to thepresent invention. On the bottom slope 24 in the anterior edge 6-1 of alateral block 6, with the center of the side as the center, with apredetermined distance in between, three steps of tongues 27 are spreadto the left and three steps of grooves 26 are spread to the right while,on the bottom slope 24 in the upper edge 7-1 of a vertical block 7, withthe center of the side as the center, with a predetermined distance inbetween, three steps of grooves 26 are spread to the left and threesteps of tongues 27 are spread to the right.

The bottom slope 24 is inclined at an angle of 45° so that the lateralblock 6 and the vertical block 7 are combined at an angle of 90° inbetween or at right angles to each other. If the lateral block 6 and thevertical block 7 are combined at right angles, the grooves 26 interlockwith the tongues 27 to secure stable binding at right angles to eachother.

Maximum compression load was measured on regular hexahedrons configuredby the blocks 1 the present invention provides in order toscientifically verify the strength that maintain the vertical binding.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

Block toys, with magnets internally embedded, manufactured by Magformersand currently marketed were used in Comparative Example. A block 8 ofthe Magformers block toy assumes, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the shape ofa quadrate panel with a hollow at the center and a cylindrical magnet 16is embedded at the internal center of each of four sides of the block 8so that the magnet may rotate.

The block 8 has a length or width of 65 mm and a thickness of 7 mm,assumes the shape of a quadrate panel.

Each of the four sides has a width of 11 mm and the tip of the edge ofthe block is rounded.

Two of the blocks 8 were stacked up, combined laterally or combined atright angles according to the method applied to Embodiment. Because thetip of the edge of the blocks were rounded, the two blocks 8 thusstacked up were broken down with ease when lateral force was appliedonto each of the blocks in the opposite direction to each other, and thetwo blocks 8 thus combined laterally were broken down with ease whenrotational force was applied onto each of the blocks in the oppositedirection to each other.

The two blocks 8 thus combined at right angles were broken down withease under a slight impact. Maximum compression load was measured onregular hexahedrons configured by the blocks 8 in order toscientifically verify the strength that maintain the vertical binding.

EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLE

Compression tests were implemented on regular hexahedrons configured bythe blocks 8, the edge tips of which were rounded, manufactured byMagformers and the blocks 1 provided by the present invention,respectively.

A vertical compression load at a velocity of 5 mm/min was applied ontothe regular hexahedrons mounted in a material testing machine to obtainmaximum compression load values. Related Certificates of Analysis wereissued on Jul. 25, 2014 by the Korea Testing Laboratory.

According to the Certificates of Analysis, the maximum compression loadwas 20 N for the regular hexahedron configured by the blocks 8manufactured by Magformers and 87 N for the blocks 1 provided by thepresent invention, which indicates a significant increase of the maximumcompression load by 335% in the blocks 1 provided by the presentinvention compared to the blocks 8 manufactured by Magformers.

Embodiment of the present invention provides a quadrate block 1 but theshape of the block must not be limited thereto but may include a varietyof shapes such as rectangle, triangle, hexagon, octagon, etc.

An embodiment of the present invention has been described thus far.However, the present invention must not be limited to the embodimentthus described but may be changed or modified in a plurality ways withinthe scope and the technical thoughts of the Claims. Therefore, all thechanges and modifications, and equivalents, especially change andmodification in the length, height, distance, etc. of the configurationof the protuberance, insert, groove, slot, furrow and tongue accordingto the change in the dimension of the block that assume the shape of apanel must be interpreted to be included in the scope of the presentinvention.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1: Block of the present invention-   2: Upper block-   3: Lower block-   4: Anterior block-   4-1: Posterior edge of an anterior block-   5. Posterior block-   5-1: Anterior edge of a posterior block-   6: Lateral block-   6-1: Anterior edge of a lateral block-   7: Vertical block-   7-1: Upper edge of a vertical block-   8: Block of Magformers block toy-   11: Top frame-   12: Bottom frame-   13: Fitting protuberance-   14: Fitting slot-   15: Magnet holder-   16: Magnet-   21: Horizontal protuberances (three columns)-   21-1: Horizontal protuberances (two columns)-   22: Top slope-   23: Top cliff-   24: Bottom slope-   25: Bottom cliff-   26: Groove-   27: Tongue-   28: Furrow-   29: Insert

What is claimed is:
 1. A surface structure for combining blocks, with amagnet internally embedded, of a block toy on a block that comprises atop frame and a bottom frame that are combined by fitting protuberancesand fitting slots resulting in a quadrate panel with a hollow at thecenter, wherein a magnet holder is prepared at the internal center ofeach of the four sides of the top frame and the bottom frame to hold acylindrical magnet, that lies parallel to the side, in the internalspace of the magnet holder so that the magnet may rotate; on theexternal surface of the top frame and the external surface of the bottomframe, between the fitting protuberance and the fitting slot with apredetermined distance, with the center of each side as the center, aplurality of left horizontal protuberances are spread to the left whileright horizontal protuberance(s) are spread to the right, the number ofwhich is one less than the number of the left horizontal protuberances,parallel to and along the side with a certain distance from the edge ofthe side; a top slope is configured along the edge of the top frame and,from the top slope, a top cliff extends downward while a bottom slope isconfigured along the bottom frame, and from the bottom slope, a bottomcliff extends upward; on the top slope, with the center of each side asthe center with a predetermined distance from the center, a plurality ofgrooves are spread to the left and tongues as many as the grooves arespread to the right while, on the bottom slope, with the center of eachside as the center with a predetermined distance from the center,tongues as many as the grooves on the top slope are spread to the leftand grooves as many as the tongues on the top slope are spread to theright; and in the top cliff, with the center of each side as the centerwith a predetermined distance from the center, a furrow is grooved onthe left and an insert protrudes on the right while, in the bottomcliff, with the center of each side as the center with a predetermineddistance from the center, an insert protrudes on the left and a furrowis grooved on the right.
 2. The surface structure for combining blocks,with a magnet internally embedded, of a block toy of claim 1, whereinthe block, for which the top frame and the bottom frame are combined,has a length or width ranging from 60 to 70 mm and a thickness rangingfrom 6 to 9 mm.
 3. The surface structure for combining blocks, with amagnet internally embedded, of a block toy of claim 1, wherein thehorizontal protuberances have a height ranging 0.25 to 0.35 mm.
 4. Thesurface structure for combining blocks, with a magnet internallyembedded, of a block toy of claim 1, wherein the grooves and the tongueshave a depth and a height, respectively, ranging from 0.25 to 0.35 mm.5. The surface structure for combining blocks, with a magnet internallyembedded, of a block toy of claim 1, wherein the furrow and the inserthave a depth and a height, respectively, ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 mm.